January 2024 — Research-Practice Partnerships, Promotions and Appointments...and More!

Promoting Equity in Higher Education

January 2024

"Research-Practice Partnerships and Advancing Equity"

Guest Editor Steve Desir, Assistant Research Professor

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to the latest edition of the Pullias Center for Higher Education’s newsletter. As we make preparations for a new semester, many of our colleagues at colleges across the country are making plans to come together to celebrate and commemorate the life and enduring legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King. As I reflect on the significance of MLK Day, in a historical moment where there are constant attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in higher education, I am reminded of Dr. King’s advocation at the Youth March for Integrated Schools, where he invited attendees to “become a dedicated fighter for civil rights, make it a central part of your life.”

As one of the newest faculty members in the Pullias Center, I have the unique opportunity and privilege to be a part of a team that is committed to responding to Dr. King’s call to action. We do this by producing scholarship and participating in research-practice partnerships that are highlighting the ways in which we, as a society, can address past inequities and promote systemic change to ensure fairness and social justice for all in the future. In this edition of the Pullias newsletter, you will learn more about the ways that the Pullias Center is supporting university leaders in their efforts to make the fight for equity and justice a central part of university life. For example, I invite you to learn more about how my colleagues and I in the Pullias Center are working collaboratively with professional associations and disciplinary societies to think about how they might use their normative influence and convening power to advance equity for communities that have been traditionally marginalized and excluded in higher education.

Additionally, we encourage you to browse our new website to learn more about our equity-focused research, policy and practice work and for an invitation to the 45th Pullias Lecture “Understanding and Navigating an Increasingly Hostile DEI Environment in Higher Education,” which is scheduled for March 28th, 2024.

Cordially,

Steve Desir

Assistant Research Professor

The Critical Role of Professional Societies in Advancing Equity

With funding from the National Science Foundation, scholars in the Pullias Center are exploring how professional societies embed and disseminate DEI reports in ways that shift the discourse and activity of their members.

By Steve Desir

As hubs for national communities within professions and disciplines, professional societies can and should play a critical role in advancing ideas about equity-minded admissions, hiring, teaching and mentoring practices. The role of professional societies is especially important as faculty and university leaders navigate a higher education landscape where attacks to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives appear commonplace. These organizations have the unique ability to leverage their convening power to create spaces for members to come together to innovate and develop new norms, policies and practices.

Pullias Postdoctoral Scholars Look to Their Future

As a premiere research center dedicated to furthering equity in higher education, the Pullias Center has long been a central hub for students, researchers and scholars to hone their skills and knowledge prior to joining academe. Now, postdoctoral scholars Emily Koren, Soumya Mishra, Mariama Nagbe and Ralitsa Todorova are completing their assignments with the Center and are ready to make their mark as vital faculty members in practice and policy. Please learn more about their bona fides and goals here:

SPOTLIGHT

2024 —New Year, New Rossier/Pullias Faculty Positions and Team Members

Julie Posselt and Elizabeth Holcombe promoted, Ron Hallett join Pullias as Research Professor

Please join us in celebrating a trio of new appointments and promotions at the Pullias Center! Well-deserved kudos to Dr. Julie Posselt, who was recently promoted to Professor of Education at the Rossier School of Education, Dr. Ron Hallett, who joins the Center as Research Professor, and Dr. Elizabeth Holcombe, promoted to Senior Research Associate.

“One of the most exciting parts of my role is welcoming new colleagues and seeing others promoted,” stated Pullias Center Director Dr. Adrianna Kezar.

"Meeting Higher Education's Most Pressing Challenges with the Change Leadership Toolkit"

Webinar Slated for Tuesday, February 13, 10am - 11am PT — Register Now

Here's your opportunity to learn how Pullias' Change Leadership Toolkit (CLT) can bring positive, systemic change to your campus. Our introductory webinar will orient attendees with the main parts of the toolkit, and its unique ecosystem model.

The webinar will also detail how the resources in the CLT can help campus leaders work on improving teaching and learning, responding to political challenges, and meet their DEI goals.

Hosted by Adrianna Kezar, Susan Elrod and Elizabeth Holcombe.

IN MEMORIUM

Dr. John Brooks Slaughter, 1934-2023

"It's not enough to simply celebrate diversity; we need to also celebrate the presence of equity and excellence."

Dr. John Brooks Slaughter, celebrated scholar, professor, leader of two universities and a faculty member of the Pullias Center and USC schools Rossier School of Education, passed away in December. He also served as a professor at USC's Viterbi School of Engineering.

Before his retirement, Dr. Slaughter penned two opinion pieces for the Pullias Center that articulated his thoughts and beliefs on DEI and justice, and the need for humanities in STEM Education. Read his two opinion pieces here, and learn more about this remarkable man's beliefs:

STEM Education Needs a Dose of Humanities

Divsersity, Equity and Inclusion are Necessary, but Poor Substitutes for Justice

Mark Your Calendars — Registration for the 45th Pullias Lecture Opens on February 12

Don't Miss Our 45th Lecture, this year at a new location: the California Science Center

Kezar, Harper, Caducci Release New Textbook

Adrianna Kezar, Jordan Harper and Rozana Carducci challenge traditional paradigms and ideologies that hinder progress — advocating instead for liberatory systemic change in their new textbook “Higher Education Leadership: Challenging Tradition and Forging Possibilities.”

This thought-provoking textbook offers a new vision for higher education scholars and leaders committed to fostering inclusive, anti-racist, and equitable universities.

Now available for pre-order: Receive 30% off with our discount code!

Read More and Pre-order the Book

NEW PUBLICATIONS

Holcombe, E. M., Kezar, A. J., Ueda, N., & Vigil, D. (2023). Shared equity leadership: Working collectively to change campus cultures. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education. Advance online publication.

Kitchen, J.A. (2023). Rethinking traditional approaches to major and career development: The Major and Career Ecology Model. Academic Leader.

Bickerstaff, S., Melguizo, T. (2024). Developmental Education Reform as a Civil Rights Agenda: Recent History and Future Directions for California. Los Angeles, CA: The Civil Rights Project/Proyecto Derechos Civiles, UCLA.

MORE NEWS

At the upcoming AAC&U Annual Meeting, Adrianna Kezar will present the University of Arizona and Loyola Marymount University with their 2023 Delphi Awards. Read their Case Studies, here.

Jimmy Aguilar’s op-ed The future of ‘race-neutral’ admissions policies was published in The Daily Trojan Magazine.

Jimmy Aguilar’s op-ed Navigating College Applications: Myth Busting and Advice Under Race-Neutral Mandates was recently published in The Messenger.

Zoë Corwin participated on a panel for the Education Writers Association’s Higher Education 2023 convening titled Opportunity Engine: How Colleges Can Help Students Achieve Social Mobility, moderated by Teresa Watanabe of the Los Angeles Times.

Royal M. Johnson alongside Shaun Harper were named Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility Visionaries by the Los Angeles Times.

Royel M. Johnson, along with Dr. Felecia Commodore, hosted the sixth and final episode of the ASHE Presidential Podcast (season 3), "Where Do We Go From Here," now available for listening.

Pullias Center director Adrianna Kezar and Pullias founding director William (Bill) Tierney were included in Education Week's annual listing of the 200 most influential edu-scholars. Also included on the list were six Rossier School of Education faculty members, including Dean Pedro Noguera.

Adrianna Kezar was interviewed for a LAist article called “At A University, The Question ‘Who’s In Charge Here?’ Comes With A Lot of Answers”

Pullias Center's PASS Project was mentioned in an Inside Philanthropy article titled "Ed Donors Take Note: Scholarships Have to Amount to More Than Just Feel-Good Stories."

THE PULLIAS CENTER FOR

HIGHER EDUCATION

Promoting Equity in Higher Education

pullias.usc.edu

The World's Leading Research Center on Student Access and Success in Higher Education